Sixth Grade Solution
by Dixie Dewdrop
Summary: Tony's day goes from absolutely horrible to incredibly awful. This is part of my Fate scenario.
1. Busted One Time

Busted One Time

Maria Osirio approached the receptionist at Tony's school and asked her to send for Tony to come to the office and check out. He had an appointment with the dentist that afternoon. Her mind drifted as the call was made to the classroom. Maria had not forgotten that Tony had asked to go to a sports store after his appointment, and she hoped the stop wouldn't make them too late getting home. The receptionist hung up and said, "Ma'am, Tony's teacher asked if you could walk down there. He wants to speak with you personally."

That activated Maria's sixth sense at once, and sighing, she nodded, got directions, and made her way down the sixth grade hall. She would find out soon enough what Tony had done. The child was a regular Dennis, the character Tony loved who was always getting himself into trouble in the _Dennis the Menace _movie_._

The teacher was waiting by the classroom door, and held out his hand. "Greetings, Ms. Osirio, I'm Dave Runyeon. I have taken over for Mrs. Stancil while she's out on maternity leave."

Maria nodded as she took his hand, "Yes, Tony told me you would be the teacher until the end of the year."

"Right," he agreed. "I was actually her student teacher, so it worked out perfectly. I already knew the kids and the routine."

Tony approached from the hall, having visited his locker and gotten his bookbag stocked. He saw his Abuela standing with Mr. Runyeon, and immediately realized he was busted. He tried to slip out of Maria's eyesight.

"Tony," the teacher smiled and motioned him over. Tony came up and grinned angelically at Maria, who reached down and brushed his bangs away from his eyes. "Tony told me you are his grandmother, and I just wanted to mention something that is causing me some concern. He and a couple of his friends have begun a campaign the past few days of mocking directions I give them, or of just being disrespectful in general. I have punished them myself, but if their behaviour continues, they are going to be faced with office referrals. I wanted to let you know."

Maria looked from Mr. Runyeon to Tony, who was staring down at the floor and studying the pattern of the tile. "Look at me, Bambino," she commanded in the tone of voice he knew not to ignore. Tony obeyed and she ordered, "You have gotten yourself into some trouble. Go to the car now and wait for me."

When he nodded, picked up his bookbag and headed down the hall, she didn't bother to clarify her relationship with the boy to Mr. Runyeon. Turning to give the man her complete attention, she replied, "Let me assure you that you will see an immediate improvement in Tony's conduct by tomorrow. Please call immediately if his behaviour ever declines again. Tony knows how he is expected to act in school, and I promise you that his behaviour will be addressed."

The teacher thanked her, then bid her good- bye.

Maria didn't say a word to her baby until she and Tony were in the car and on their way to the dentist.

"That man is your teacher now. It is irrelevant whether you like him or not. If he says again that you are misbehaving, I will come down to the school and sit with you every day in your class to monitor your conduct." Tony let out a horrified gasp. "Bambino, don't even open your mouth to say anything. You know better than to be disrespectful, and you also know that you are expected to focus on classwork, not friends or entertaining the other students. I am disappointed and..."

Tony, though he knew in his heart he was guilty, interrupted angrily, "Abuela, you didn't even ask my side! Mr. Runyeon just doesn't like me."

"You are correct that I am not going to ask your side. I don't care about your side at all. He's an adult, he's the teacher, and you are not allowed to be disrespectful. That's the end of it."

Tony threw himself back against the seat in annoyance, and she continued, "So forget going to the sports store, su comportamiento ha sido malo, you have not earned it with your school behaviour. We are going straight home after the dentist, and you will not go outside to play as you usually do."

He was infuriated with the punishment and was determined that she was going to witness his displeasure.

"You promised we were going to the store, Abuela! You don't love me, or you wouldn't be just doing this for no reason. Mr. Runyeon isn't even the real teacher, anyway, and we were just fooling around! You want me to not get to get something and it's wrong! You lied to me, and I don't want you to ever come get me from school ever anymore!"

Maria ignored the observations and the outburst and continued to drive.

Tony pouted the rest of the way to the dentist, then the rest of the way home.

Abuela was just being mean, and Tony didn't appreciate the fact that she didn't take his side immediately, or the way she had reacted. He had been counting on a trip to the sports store, and she had no right to tell him he could go one day and take it back the next.

By the time he finished his homework, he was even angrier, knowing that she had banned him from having the rest of the afternoon to play outside. His mood didn't improve, even when his father returned from NCIS and told him he had tickets for them to go to a Washington Wizards game that weekend.

At supper Tony stayed uncharacteristically quiet, but Jethro and Abuela kept up the conversation. Maria gave him the results of the dental visit, which were good, and Jethro smiled broadly, "Well, I think somebody deserves a reward for a great dental visit!"

Without thinking through the consequences, Tony replied smartly, "Don't trust Abuela to show any appreciation, because she does not care about that! She just wants to focus on negative stuff, and trying to make me miserable, and I don't want her anywhere around because she..."

Gibbs, stunned at the words and disrespect, sputtered, "Close your mouth right now, Anthony! You know better than to be talking like that!"

Maria responded, calmly, "Bambino, you are mad because I punished..."

Tony interrupted, "No, you were just being stupid and you just wanted to be mean to me and..."

Jethro's voice boomed, "Tony, get up from this table right now and go straight to your room! I will be dealing with you in a few minutes."

"Dad, Abuela lied to me! It's her fault, not mine!" His voice rose with each word he used to defend himself.

"I said upstairs, and I said now!" Jethro's tone was just as angry.

Tony pushed away from the table as dramatically as he could, and headed upstairs to his room. As soon as he flung himself on the bed, his bravado began to dissipate, and he began to think that maybe he hadn't reacted too wisely. His dad was livid, and his Abuela actually looked hurt. Maybe he had gone too far.


	2. Then Busted Again

Then Busted Again

Maria ran down the events of the afternoon as she and Jethro finished the meal and cleared the table.

Gibbs looked at her after the recitation and said quietly, "You know he adores you, don't you? He was just trying to hurt you the only way he could, with words. It just shows that skipping the store this afternoon was a good consequence for cutting up in school."

Maria nodded and smiled. "I do know. He has been mine for too many years now."

Jethro agreed and drained the last of his coffee from the cup. "Ok, I'm going upstairs to deal with him."

By that time, Tony had come to the conclusion that he was way out of line, and he definitely regretted his actions and words. Closing his eyes, he evaluated his rough afternoon. How could he have talked so meanly to Abuela? He knew how much he loved her, and he also knew how much she loved him. His stomach knotted as he remembered the hurt expression on her face as he had hurled insults her way.

The longer his father made him wait in his room, the more sickening was the realization that he had caused some major damage.

Finally opening his eyes he saw his father standing in the doorway and he sat up quickly, "Dad, I..."

Jethro didn't let him continue. "You have earned yourself a spanking, and Anthony, you have until I count to three to get yourself across my lap. One..."

Tony started fumbling with his jeans and boxers, and finally got them pulled away from his about- to- be- torn- up butt while hot tears began spilling from his eyes. Jethro didn't waste time, but sat down on Tony's bed and pulled his son over his lap, wrapping one arm around his son's body to keep him in place across his knees.

Tony buried his face into the bedspread, then eased up to put his hands underneath him. When his dad's strong hand made its first contact with his bare bottom he would have fallen off the bed if his father hadn't held him tightly. It hurt, hurt, hurt! Strangled cries and sobbing followed smack after painful smack, and Tony thought his father would never stop the punishment. His butt was on fire, and his responsive writhing did nothing to relieve the sting and throbbing of the spanking.

Jethro punctuated the licks with a lecture on what the consequences for disrespect were, how Tony had better figure out a way to make things right with Maria, and what would happen if the teacher notified them of further misconduct.

After he concluded the very effective and painful reprimand, Jethro kept Tony across his lap until the sobs stopped and shuddery breaths took their place. Pulling up his son's clothing he eased him off his lap and stood him in front of him. Then he took his chin in his hand so Tony was making eye contact with him.

Shifting from foot to foot, trying to ease the agony of his spanking, he met his dad's gaze. "Dad, I'm sorry. I don't know why I acted like that. I didn't mean to hurt Abuela. I was just mad at her 'cause I wanted to go to the store and look at some equipment. I guess I was also kinda mad at Mr. Runyeon for going and telling on me. Before you came up, Dad, before you got here, I already had figured out that what I did was stupid and it wasn't a good solution."

Rubbing at his bottom in an effort to ease the discomfort he added, "Daddy, that spanking really hurt."

Jethro nodded and stood up. "Go take your shower, Son. I'm putting you to bed in fifteen minutes." Tony flinched and glanced at the clock. That meant he was going to be in bed by seven. It wouldn't even be dark for another couple of hours. This was truly an awful night that just kept getting worse and worse.

He spoke up quietly. "Ok, Dad, but before you start timing, may I go talk to Abuela first? I want to tell her I didn't mean it." His dad smiled and pointed towards the bedroom door and the hall beyond.

When Tony got downstairs he found Maria in the kitchen, loading the dishwasher with the last of the supper dishes. Tony spoke softly as Maria turned to acknowledge him.

"Abuela, lo siento- I am so sorry, and I don't know what to say. I was mad, and I wanted to hurt you." Maria nodded, but Tony sensed that he had wounded her with his words. "What I said- all of that wasn't true. I wanted to make you feel bad because I was in trouble. It was my fault. Te amo, usted sabe que- you know that I love you, and I don't know how to make it right! I don't know how to take it all away and make it like it never happened. But please, please, don't stop being my Abuela!"

Tony's eyes filled with tears and Maria's heart went out to him. He was growing up on her. Now he was understanding the consequences and power of damaging words. Tony threw himself at her and she embraced him, rubbing his back as he cried against her. When the tears finally stopped she pulled a tissue out of her pocket and wiped his eyes, then kissed him on the forehead.

"It is ok now, bambino. I accept your apology. But you understand that you can have a tantrum if you want, or act the way you want, but you still are not going to get out of a consequence for your behaviour. All that you are going to do is add to your problems. Remember that you always reap what you sow. Is that understood?"

"Si, Abuela, comprendo and thank you. Thank you for forgiving me." Tony pulled her down and kissed her, then headed up the stairs to take his shower. As he pondered the past few hours he decided that the next time he wanted to alter a course of events, he'd have to come up with a solution that had a less painful and far reaching reaction.


End file.
